


Deserted Anchors

by SekiaSweet



Series: Anchored to the Past [6]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: A lot - Freeform, Colossus of Orlais, Cullen's Nightmares, Deviates From Canon, F/M, Fluff and Smut, The Hissing Wastes, beyond the wastes, sandstorms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-22 21:54:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30045297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SekiaSweet/pseuds/SekiaSweet
Summary: The Inquisition searches for another orb in the Hissing Wastes
Relationships: Elgar'nan/Mythal, Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford, Female Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford
Series: Anchored to the Past [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2040350
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Deified Memory

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo... there aren't a lot of tags because it'd give too much away. Also, this gets a bit NSFW after, “Okay, so who's is it?” so if that's not your thing, stop there.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Inquisition arrives in the Wastes just in time for a sandstorm. Cullen's nightmare returns and Briseis has an unusual experience.

Dorian, Bull and the Chargers separated from the Inquisition's forces once they had cleared the Frostbacks to catch a boat taking them across the Waking Sea. Dorian complained of inevitable seasickness, prompting advice from Briseis to add ginger to his tea. The two delayed separating for as long as possible and then it was only an hour after parting that she was using the crystal. “Just making sure it works,” she said when Cullen smirked at her.

The weather held fair as they traversed Orlais and it took less than a fortnight for them to arrive in the Hissing Wastes. Briseis was grateful that she had conversations between Sera and Thom to keep her entertained as they teased each other mercilessly or made fun of Orlesian nobility. She spoke to Dorian almost every night at camp before she and Cullen would pick their way through nearby forests for a place to help her practice with her new staff for a few hours, but the couple often lingered in the trees afterwards simply be away from prying eyes. She was progressing well with the dual wielding, but she still lacked confidence in her ability and felt unaccustomed to the adjustments to her balance. But they would have very little time for sparring as they arrived in the Wastes, so she would wield her staff normally.

“Ugh. Still so much nowhere,” Sera muttered the night they arrived in the desert.

“And still cold,” Briseis added. She had forgotten how, while there were stars in the sky as far as she could see, the Wastes could be brutally cold at night, though she was thankful that there currently were no sandstorms. The group was exhausted by the time they made camp, so everyone retired almost immediately to the privacy of their own tents.

Cullen was still awake, standing at a table, pouring over a map of the Wastes when she returned to the tent they were sharing after taking care of Godric.

“Have the scouts found anything?” she asked him as she approached.

He stood up and turned to face her. “No unusual activity near the Colossus,” he answered her. “We're still waiting for new reports from that abandoned camp near the mountains, the canyon, and the Tomb of Fairel.”

“What about that collapsed door at the base of the mountain?” she asked. It had always vexed her that they couldn't get through it, but someone had suggested that some doors should remain locked.

“Still blocked,” he said. “Do you want to check it out?”

She frowned a little. “Perhaps if it becomes necessary,” she said, sitting in a nearby chair to remove her boots. “I hate not knowing what to look for. We don't even know _which_ orb we're looking for.”

Cullen studied her closely for a moment before he asked, “have your Anchors been behaving differently like at the Winter Palace?”

“Nothing more than the usual tingling,” she replied regretfully. “Honestly I wouldn't object to some kind of reaction if it could help us out here.”

“And if we do manage to find this orb?” he asked apprehensively. “If you were to claim it, what would another Anchor do to you?”

Briseis glanced up at him. “I have no idea, but I don't _want_ to know,” she said. “And I have no intention of touching another orb if I can help it. For the time being we'll just collect it for now and store it away when we get back to Skyhold.”

“Agreed,” Cullen said. “But how are you feeling? You carry two Anchors. Are you alright?”

He watched as her eyes trailed down to her left hand “It's not always easy to carry,” she told him. “I wasn't joking when I said that it was amazing and terrifying. I often wonder at what I could possibly do with this kind of power if I were to just let loose, but I have to keep myself disciplined so as not to abuse it. I would never want to end up like Corypheus.”

“I doubt that would ever happen,” he thought aloud.

“What makes you say that?” she asked.

“I've seen people corrupted by power in one form or another. The mages in Kinloch, templars in Kirkwall, Teryn Loghain during the Blight, Knight-Commander Meredith, even Corypheus. They all abused what power they had and greedily craved more. You never asked for any of the power that you have, but you always seem so measured about using it.”

She shook her head. “We've talked about this before, Cullen. I've made shitty decisions as Inquisitor and you know it.”

“And even when you did, you struggled with those decisions,” he said while he knelt in front of her and threaded his fingers through her left hand. “It's the wisdom you possess that makes me say that you wouldn't abuse what you have.”

Briseis leaned forward, kissing him on the forehead. “Well now I definitely won't since you think so highly of me!” she laughed before her expression sobered. “But I wish that translated into somehow figuring out where to find this orb out here. Who knows how long we'll be out here if we don't find any leads.”

“We'll find something,” he said. “Let's just wait until we get word back from the other sites and decide how to proceed from there. For now,” he pulled her from the chair and guided her to where their bedrolls awaited, “let's get some rest and we can start fresh in the morning.”

“It's too hot during the daytime to do anything here, really,” she countered as he lay down next to her.

He pulled her towards him as she turned to curl into his arms. “That may not be the worst thing with how little we know right now,” he said. “We can review the additional reports once we have them and go over the others in case we missed something. Perhaps we can narrow down the search.” He shifted a little to face her. “Have you heard from Dorian tonight?”

Briseis inclined her head. “We talked while I was tending to Godric,” she replied. “They should reach Minrathous in another couple of days. He's told Bull everything.”

Cullen tensed for a brief second. “How'd that go?” he asked.

“He understands the need for secrecy with this. He did try to insist on going into the city with Dorian, but he knows it wouldn't be safe for either of them. And Dorian will be speaking with his friend Maevaris while he's there to see if she has any information of use. Supposedly she has a fascination with Elvhen artifacts.” She sighed as she nestled closer to him.

“Well let's keep our fingers crossed. Hopefully they'll find something,” he said.

“Let's hope the same for us, because we're screwed if we don't get any leads,” she yawned.

The nightmare returns for him tonight. Yet again he watches a blade being thrust into her chest by a figure that remains unseen. He feels the sting in his arm and begins to feel the lyrium coursing through his body. All he can feel is the chains setting back in place while her blood trickles toward his feet. And he cannot bear it.

Cullen jerked awake, shaking as he sat upright. He'd had the dream a few times since leaving Skyhold, but tonight was the first time he'd felt the lyrium.

That's what was most disturbing. And tempting.

He was grateful that his kit is still back at the fortress, well away from him as he glanced down at Briseis, fast asleep and still facing him. Whatever she is dreaming about, she seems quite happy from the way the corners of her lips are tilted upward and then she murmurs in Elvhen, though he doesn't know enough of the language to understand what she says. Cullen lay back down beside her and watched her for a few more moments, chuckling to himself as he watches her face scrunch up while she swatted a wayward strand of hair from her face with her left hand.

He studied her hand closely, noticing that Mythal's Anchor was shimmering as it returned to rest on her hip. It didn't seem to be troubling Briseis; her face back to expressing the happiness of her dreams. Cullen took her hand, watching as the shimmer brightened when she closed her fingers around his and snuggled closer to him. She was saying something in Elvhen again before she trailed off as he put his arm around her and tried to go back to sleep, praying for dreams as happy as hers.

He was entering their tent with two cups of coffee when she awoke the next morning. “How did you sleep?” he asked as she sat upright.

“Pretty well,” she replied, running a hand through her disheveled hair before accepting the steaming mug he offered. Briseis glanced at him seeing the distress in his face. “You had the nightmare again.”

He nodded slowly as he sat in the chair next to the tent opening. “But this time I could feel the lyrium,” he explained, looking at the ground. “It had nearly consumed me when I saw your blood on the floor in front of me. That was when I woke up. It would have been tempting if I had the box here,” he confessed. “But then you were more distracting.”

She looked over at him confused, but not fooled by his changing the subject. “Care to explain?” she asked, taking a sip.

“You were murmuring in Elvhen as you slept,” he elaborated. “You looked happy though.”

“I was talking in my sleep?” she repeated. “What did I say?”

“Not much that I could understand. I do recall the word ' _lath_ ' coming up. I only know what that means because you say it to me a lot.”

Heat rose up in her cheeks. “Not that I don't dream of you often, but I don't remember dreaming anything last night. I was so exhausted, all I wanted was sleep.” she said.

Cullen turned a shade of crimson when she admitted to dreaming about him, but he was puzzled that she wouldn't remember dreaming last night. Briseis could usually recall her dreams pretty clearly. It was also uncommon for her to talk in her sleep.

“Did I do anything unusual other than talk in my sleep?” she asked after several moments.

Cullen shook his head. “No. Why?”

“Because...” before she could finish she heard Harding outside. “Inquisitor? Commander? We have word from the canyon.”

She began to rise from her bedroll, before Cullen gestured for her to stay put. “I'll go,” he said. “We need to talk about this some more.”

He was outside for a few minutes while Briseis sat and stared down into the contents of her cup, studying her reflection within the dark liquid. Why would she speak of love in Elvhen as she slept, but dream nothing? She had taken all necessary precautions to protect herself, so no one and nothing should be able to possess her. This didn't make sense.

Cullen returned with a scroll in his hand. “There wasn't anything in the canyon,” he said grimly, handing it to her. “What's more, there looks to be a pretty ugly sandstorm that's about to come through.”

“Which could change some of the landscape across the Wastes,” she grumbled as she read. “That could be a good thing or a catastrophe. Still nothing from the Tomb of Fairel or the abandoned camp?”

“Not yet, and likely not until after this sandstorm dissipates,” he explained. “All we can do for now is wait.”

“Well we kind of already knew that,” she replied. She let the parchment roll up into her hand as she finished the coffee.

“And we can finish talking. Why did you ask if you did anything else unusual in your sleep?”

Briseis stood from her bedroll and he rose, letting her take the chair while he sat on a nearby stool. “I've taken precautions to protect myself in the Fade,” she told him. “I dreamed of nothing last night, yet you heard me speaking Elvhen in my sleep and I didn't do anything to indicate that I'd been possessed. That shouldn't be possible.”

“Nothing the Inquisition has encountered should be possible,” Cullen pointed out, enticing a smile from her. He paused for a few minutes and she watched as his eyes darted to her left hand. “You're certain the Anchors haven't been bothering you?”

“They're fine,” she insisted, brows furrowed. “Why?”

“I only ask because Mythal's Anchor was shimmering last night,” he said. “I know that it usually flickers, but what I saw didn't look like what we're accustomed to seeing. It brightened when I touched your hand.”

“And you said I looked happy while I was dreaming?” she asked.

He nodded. “Quite...” he trailed off, losing thought.

Both of them remained silent for a while. Briseis dwelling on what she could have been reliving to speak of romantic love. She almost always spoke Common Tongue with Cullen, so there would be very few memories of her speaking to him like that in Elvhen.

But she doesn't just carry her own memories. Not since she drank from the _vir'abelasan..._

Briseis looked back at him and the feeling that hits her when her eyes lock with his is indescribable. Cullen is mildly aroused when he sees the expression on her face, but he fights his baser urges and tries to bring her back to focus. She gets lost in it for a moment before she hears Cullen trying to get her attention. “Shit,” she said as she refocused on him. “Ohhh, shit.”

He studied her face for a moment and understanding kicks in. “No,” he says.

“I'm afraid so,” she replied.

“So it was..?”

“Mythal? Has to be,” Briseis replied. “I suppose she was reliving some _really_ fond memory. Though it doesn't seem that she did anything beyond that. At least not anything malicious.”

“You're certain that this is the case?” he asked her firmly.

“With the measures I've taken to protect myself, this is the only plausible explanation,” she said.

“Then perhaps we're going about at least some of this the wrong way,” he said. “Mythal seems to have set a lot of this in motion.”

“True,” she replied.

“You were told that 'they were waiting for you.' Assume that 'they' are the other Elvhen gods. If that's true, who would she want to find first? Who would make her behave like this?”

Cullen barely gets the question out before she feels it again and it's suddenly warmer in the tent.

But now she knows which orb they seek. “Are you ready for another lesson in Elvhen lore?” she asked him quietly.

“Yes, but first,” he replied. “Are you _sure_ she didn't possess you?”

Briseis thought for a moment. “It doesn't seem that way. But I've wondered if some parts of her could bleed into me now that I have her wisp and her memories,” she sighed. “Yet another thing for me to figure out after we collect this orb.”

“Okay, so who's is it?”

She wakes lying on her belly, his touch feeling like fire on her skin as he traces a path along her spine. Her lips curl into a smile, every inch of her delighting in his touch. She can feel it as his intense gaze begins to travel the length of her body, knowing that when she turns to face him, there will be fire hiding behind his gorgeous golden eyes.

Her skin tingles in anticipation as she feels him moving lower before he leans down to kiss her on the small of her back and a giggle escapes her as she hears his deep laugh. They are always happiest like this, alone in their sanctuary, unconcerned with their duties and the chaos of the world without.

His lips return up the trail that had been traced by his fingers. Heat stirs within her as she erupts in delightful shivers when she feels him grazing her neck and moving up to her left cheek. _“You've always loved that,”_ he whispers, his lips kissing their way to the tip of her ear.

A soft hum escapes her. _“Only and always from you,”_ she answers.

His hand pauses at the small of her back and he is silent for a moment. _“Truly?”_ he asks hesitantly.

She finally opens her eyes and turns over to face him, the silky blue sheet leaving her exposed above her navel as his glance rakes over her beautiful skin. The sun gently warms their room, painting their bed in a kaleidoscope of colors through the stained glass above the opening to their balcony. A small squint of her hazel-green eyes and they are instantly ensnared by his. He grins when she smiles at him and wraps her arms around his neck, allowing one hand to slip through his curls.

 _“Always,”_ she replies, as she pulls him towards her. _“I love nothing like I love you.”_

The kiss shared between them is as tender as the first they ever had. But then her mouth opens and his tongue plunges inside, sliding gently against hers. The sweet, berried taste of her overtakes every sense he has and his hand begins to work its way up her torso. Both of them know that as desperately as they wish for it, they should not get lost in their own bliss right now. Duty should come first. They break the kiss, staring at each other and coming to the same conclusion.

What they _should_ do doesn't matter right now.

His hand continues upward, finding the curve of one of her breasts and caressing gently as he nuzzles his face along her neck. His breath grazes along her skin, driving coherent thought from her as he moves over her and she shifts to accommodate him. Their eyes fuse together and she hooks her legs behind his thighs as he slides into her. She gasps softly against his lips and she feels the smile she loves so much forming there as he watches pleasure bloom across her features. As their fingers thread together, he begins to move ever so slowly. She shifts her hips to gain more traction, but he _tsks_ at her before quickly sheathing himself to the hilt in a thrust that steals her breath. He chuckles but suddenly groans loudly in her ear when she tightens around him and she gives a satisfied smirk.

There are so many other things they should be thinking about as their hands clasp even tighter and suddenly he is starting to move a little faster. Her hips move under him in response, pleading for even more...

Every other thought disappears. There is only _this_.

All he can see is her in his arms. The only thing that has ever been able to soothe him.

He releases one of her hands to run his thumb across her cheek, knowing she can feel his thoughts; she is the only one who ever really could. She rises up, pressing her body against him and capturing him in another kiss as his hand winds into her hair. Nothing has ever, _could_ ever, come close to this. They always play their parts for the world as they had no choice. But then when their performances were over, they always come here...

And they are ever so close. His hand slides down the length of her body, hooking her leg over his shoulder as he thrusts home harder. The change in his angling begins to push her over the edge. Her fingers clutch desperately at his flesh and though her eyes are completely glazed over, he can see that she loves him just as fiercely as he does her.

And now the time has come.

Magic begins to expand about them, filling every corner of the room. They feel it pulling them closer together as his thrusting within her become more and more erratic. Her leg at his shoulder trembles, so he moves both her legs to lock around his hips and makes _just_ the right adjustment to his movement and his pacing, causing her to completely shatter around him, the air about them electrifying as she comes. Her walls continue to pulse around him and he roars fiercely in her ear as she begins to feel him throbbing with his climax.

He leans in close and leaves a trail of kisses along her jawline before his lips capture hers. _“Mythal, vhenan'ara,”_ he murmurs to her when he pulls back as he tries to catch his breath.

“ _Elgar'Nan_ ,” she says softly, kissing him again.

They feel the familiar rippling in the air about them and smile against each other. It is not an unusual occurrence for spirits, particularly those borne of love and desire, to find their way in here. They never complained as the welcome intrusion has always prolonged their bliss and this time was no different.

He pulls out of her carefully and rolls onto his back as she snuggles close to him, his hand clasping hers.

 _“Ar lath ma,”_ she says as he pulls her closer.

They drift like this for several moments before she feels the steady rise and fall of his chest indicating that he is drifting to sleep. She follows him moments later, unable to resist the call of dreams any longer. There is much to discuss when they wake.


	2. Chanting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Briseis and Cullen kill time while the sandstorm passes and meet an old friend.

“So Mythal and this Elgar'Nan are lovers?” Cullen asked a while later. They could still hear the howling wind from the sandstorm blowing outside their tent. In the meantime, Briseis had spent what time they had telling him some of what she knew about the Elvhen god of vengeance.

Briseis nodded. “Where Mythal is the All-Mother and patron of justice, he is her counterpart: the All-Father and patron of vengeance. But they were the leaders of the Elvhen pantheon,” she explained. “Given her behavior while I was sleeping and how hot and bothered she seems to be about him now, I think it would be safe to say that they were very much in love.”

“So much so that she wants to find him first,” Cullen mused.

“I'd feel the same way if it were you,” Briseis countered. “But I don't think this is just as simple as wanting to find her lover. Elgar'Nan was also the first of the gods, so I expect this to be quite a bit of power we're after.”

“I'd expect so since you said he supposedly threw the sun into the Void after fighting for an eternity.”

She shrugged. “Until Mythal persuaded Elgar'Nan otherwise. Or so goes the story. But if we're supposed to be going up against the Dread Wolf, I expect that this would definitely help.”

“Okay, but we still don't know where we're supposed to look for the orb,” Cullen said.

Briseis sighed. “Well, until this storm clears at least, all we can do is wait. It's been going for some time now.”

“There were storms while you were out here before, weren't there?” Cullen asked.

“There were a few, yes,” she replied. “Though how long they lasted varied. We got caught in one near one of the tombs and I thought Cassandra was going to kill Dorian because he bitched the whole time. Thank goodness I decided to bring Cole along. He helped me to keep both of them from losing it, but I think even he was tired of them afterwards.”

Cullen couldn't keep his bark of laughter to himself and only laughed harder when she made a face and stuck out her tongue at him. Turning serious again, he suggested they review reports again.

“If the landscape has changed after this sandstorm, the reports won't matter,” she challenged.

“Well we can compare the findings we currently have with any updated reports when they arrive,” he countered. She nodded, conceding the point and knowing that he really just wanted to keep busy.

It was already late when the sands finally calmed, but additional reports continued to be delayed. When they'd finally arrived, there was still no activity at the Tomb of Fairel or the abandoned camp. Briseis was starting to think they should just explore the Wastes for themselves, when they received an additional report from the Colossus.

“Was there an area to the west of the statue's base that you couldn't access before?” Cullen asked when he brought her the missive.

“I closed a rift not too far from there,” she recalled. “But we didn't advance any further in that direction. There was a pretty thick storm in the distance.” She looked up after she'd finished reading. “The previous reports said that the nearby hunters say that storm never stopped.”

“Apparently not. Until now,” Cullen said.

“You feel like this could be our lead?”

“It's the only thing we have to go on for now,” he answered.

“As late as it is, we'd make it to the nearby campsite before daylight if we ride,” she suggested. “But we have to leave quickly.”

He nodded to her and exited the tent for a few moments while she dressed. Briseis grimaced when she heard him waking Sera and tried not to laugh when he returned looking sheepish. “They'll be ready to leave shortly,” he said, reaching for his gear.

Moments later, they were all mounted and traversing across the sands towards the Colossus. “Is it just me, or is it somehow colder this time around?” Thom asked.

“'Keep moving,' remember?” Briseis called back to him.

He gives her a look that she thinks is a grin hiding under his beard. “At least you listened,” he answered back.

Sera seemed to shiver a bit, even wearing her cloak. “Seriously though. It _is_ colder out here than before,” she said.

The Inquisitor had to admit they were right. Even after sandstorms, it didn't feel this cold the last time they ventured out here. It seemed nearly cold enough for a warming spell, but she opted to hold off on using magic unless the complaining got worse.

The Colossus loomed on the horizon and the sun was quickly appearing behind them when they finally reached their campsite a few hours later. She fed Godric a treat upon their arrival and briefly spoke to the scouts before she entered the tent where Cullen was already placing his armor near the entrance. He'd chosen to keep his sword close, having seen varghest nearby as they approached.

“The scouts confirm that the storm beyond the Colossus has calmed,” she told him as he helped her out of her armor. “They said there's looks to be a large structure in the distance as well. Might take some time to get out there. A few hours at least.”

“You want to go once the sun sets, yes?” he asked, removing one of her greaves.

“I do,” she replied. “Best case it that it's what we're looking for or some ruin that hasn't been found yet. But if we're going to do anything, we should rest up. We can discuss this further after we've slept.”

She saw his shoulders tense, knowing he was thinking about the nightmare returning. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked him.

“I just don't want to see it become reality,” he said, reaching for her hands.

“Neither do I, but that's why we're here,” Briseis replied, pressing her forehead to his. “We'll do whatever it takes to make sure nothing like that happens, agreed?”

He nodded. “Good, now come to bed,” she said finally.

“I do miss our bed,” he muttered as they lay down on their bedrolls.

She smiled. “How about we stay in it for a few days when we get back to Skyhold?”

He pretended to think about it for a moment as she moved into his arms and kissed her. “I think I like that idea.”

Cullen awoke hours later to her left hand clasped in his. He looked over to see her still asleep, her head still resting on his shoulder, contentment spread across her face. He was wondering if it was her contentment or Mythal's he was seeing when he felt the warmth of magic as she tightened her grip on his hand. He was a bit surprised by what was happening, but it wasn't uncomfortable and the magic ceased to flow from her when she relaxed her grip a moment later.

Cullen reached up and stroked at her cheek as she stirred. “Hi,” she said, hazel-green eyes blinking at him.

“Hi back,” he answered watching her carefully.

Barely awake, Briseis looked confused. “What happened?” she asked. “How did you sleep?”

“No nightmares,” he assured her. “But I woke up and you did magic while you gripped my hand. Were you dreaming?”

“Mm hmm,” she answered, looking down shyly. “About staying in bed back at Skyhold.”

He looked down at her. “You know Leliana and Josephine are not going to let that happen,” he told her. And I will have to finally send Rylen back to the Approach. I don't think he planned to be there this long. I'll likely transfer Lysette like he requested as well.”

“Well that would be nice of you,” she said. “Or I could just override you and transfer her out there myself.”

Cullen shook with laughter. “Would you really override me?”

Heat rose to her face as she giggled. “I will if I feel like it's warranted.”

Her breath caught when he rolled onto her and leaned in close an impish smirk on his face. “How about now?” he whispered in her ear.

She turned her head to see his eyes darken and hooked her legs around the back of his thighs. “I'm enjoying the view from here,” she answered softly before kissing him.

Briseis felt him twitch before she heard Thom calling for them. “Inquisitor? Commander? You want to come see this.”

Cullen groaned loudly in her ear before she muttered, “this had _better_ be good.”

She pulled her boots on quickly and lifted the flap of the tent. It was late afternoon from what she could tell as she moved to where Thom was standing. “What is it?” she asked him as Cullen came alongside her.

“Look just to the left of the Colossus,” he said, inclining his head in the direction he advised.

Her eyes darted towards the statue and slowly moved to the left. It took her several moments before she spotted her, yet again dressed as a Chanter.

“What is a Chanter doing all the way out here?” Cullen asked.

“She's a benevolent spirit,” Briseis explained. “We met her the last time we were here. She only speaks in the Chant of Light.”

“I really loved that bow she gave us, Quizzie,” Sera recalled fondly. “But hey, I thought she left?”

“So did I,” Thom said. “And she's just standing there. Why?”

“Only one way to find out,” the Inquisitor said as she stepped forward.

She made her way across the sands, Cullen following behind her. “You sure this is a good idea?”

“This spirit has to be back here for a reason,” she answered.

The Chanter waited for them patiently as they neared. She studied the Inquisitor's face for several moments before nodding to her and then turning her attention to Cullen. “Blessed are they who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter,” she said.

“Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just.” he replied.

She smiled. “Truly, the Maker has called you, just as He called me.”

“To be a Light for your People. The host you see before you march, bearing His will north, where we shall deliver it to Minrathous city of magisters, and we shall tear down the unassailable gates, and set all slaves free,” Cullen continued, surprised that a Chanter would quote that particular verse as she sheds her physical form again.

“Wrath and Thunder, give us glory,” she said at last and disappeared and Briseis looks at him astonished.

_“Fenedhis,”_ she said. “How do you know the Canticle of Shartan?”

He turned to her. “I read it in an old copy of the Chant I found years ago in Kirkwall. How do _you_ know the Canticle of Shartan?”

She shrugged. “Mother Giselle,” she replied. “I spoke to her a bit about the Maker after meeting Ameridan and that led to talking about Shartan. She has a copy of his Canticle somehow and she let me read it.”

“I see. But the last part is something I don't recognize from the Chant.”

She studied him for a moment. “It's not from the Chant,” she answered as they turned to walk back towards the camp.

“Well what's it from?” Cullen asked her. He looked over at her when she didn't answer. She looked to be thinking really hard from the set of her jaw.

“Which one of your hands was I holding this morning?” she asked him when they returned to their tent, her voice slightly high.

“My left hand,” he said slowly. “Why do you ask?”

She turned to face him. “You may want to sit down.”


	3. Howling in the Desert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for Battle!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short, but the next bit should be a little longer.

The structure beyond the Wastes loomed high over the dunes as they drew closer as the moon passed overhead. “Now _that_ is somewhere,” Sera mused when she saw it.

Cullen had to agree as he stared ahead silently towards where they were heading. They were still at least an hour away from their destination, but the structure appeared taller than the Colossus of Orlais and housed a temple carved into the rock behind it.

“We all need to be careful,” Briseis stated. “Who knows how long it's been since anyone has been out here.”

“Right you are, Inquisitor,” Thom replied. “Thank the Maker it's a clear night and with little wind, it's not as cold.”

Briseis watched Cullen carefully most of the way from their campsite near the Colossus. He had not said much since their encounter with the Chanter spirit. She explained her theory to him once they'd returned to camp and he appeared to accept what she'd told him, but he seemed to have withdrawn into himself most of the trip. It didn't surprise her, what she suggested is not something that would go over lightly. She recalled when she first met Leliana and Cassandra beneath the Chantry in Haven. She'd barely had time to process what she had been told before the then-Seeker led her outside and showed her the expansive hole in the sky that was the Breach. Briseis felt slightly guilty at being even remotely envious that Cullen had time to prepare himself while she had the misfortune of being thrown headlong into the fray without any knowledge of what was happening.

They halted and dismounted just inside the ornate entrance tower, worn but well preserved for having been engulfed in what seemed to be a continuous sandstorm for however long it had been abandoned here. Even in the moonlight, the red and gold paint of the stones was still vibrant. “Right, the mounts should prefer being in here more than they would being out in the sun once it's daylight,” Thom commented seeing that the overhead structure would provide adequate shade. “Judging by how large this place is, we could be here a while.”

Sera and Thom gathered their equipment and moved further toward the passage that would lead to the temple entrance. Briseis lingered, waiting to speak with Cullen before going inside. She moved to the other side of Phobos, where the Commander was checking his water and food rations.

“Are you alright?” she asked quietly.

“I think I will be,” Cullen answered her. “That was a lot to process at one time. But you know that, of course.”

She nodded. “I also could be wrong,” she offered.

“Yes, but we both know you don't think that you are,” he replied. “And... actually I hope that you're not.”

She looked up at him, shocked. “Really?”

“You seem surprised.”

“Well that's because I am. I mean, it's good, but I also know how apprehensive you are about anything associated with magic,” she said slowly, “and we have no way of knowing what could happen. I highly doubt you wanted to be caught up _this_ much.”

Cullen fastened his golden eyes on her. “Briseis, I'm not a fool. I knew that magic would be part of the package when I chose to pursue you. And yes, I have my concerns, but if this is what is supposed to happen, then so be it; I will learn to adjust. But based on what you've told me, I wouldn't want you having that kind of connection with anyone else ever,” he told her before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “You're mine,” he said.

Briseis hopped up and threw her arms around him, careful not to get caught on his armor, and kissed him hard. “Bet your gorgeous ass I am,” she replied. He caught her about the waist, pulling her closer to him, and spun her about before placing her back on the ground gently.

“Hey, save it for when we're back at camp,” Thom suggested loudly.

“Will you two stop playing kissy-face and hurry up already?!” Sera yelled back at them, her voice echoing against the walls of the passage. She looked about her, excited when she heard the echo. “ARSE-CAKES!!!” she yelled as loudly as she could as her voice reverberated off the rocks.

They broke the kiss, smiling against each other and finally caught up to their impatiently waiting companions.

The lengthy passage leading into the temple's courtyard was not quite high enough to rival the Colossus, but came close. The clear sky allowed moonlight to reflect against the rock, which was worn though the carvings depicting battles long forgotten were still visible, having been etched deep into its surface.

“Maker,” Thom breathed as they walked through.

“This is amazing,” Briseis said as she stared around them. Her eyes paused for a moment, looking back at their mounts. Godric was watching carefully, ears pricked up as if on alert. She turned back towards the temple, eyes darting about cautious for anything approaching. Cullen, seeing the change in her body language, began to proceed with caution as well.

The courtyard before the temple was barren, save a few patches of dried grass that were hiding in the shadows of high columns that lined the way to the temple entrance, all carved in Elvhen glyphs. The area was wide, with more carvings depicting Elvhenan surrounding the exterior wall. As they drew closer, they saw that the steps leading up into the temple formed a mosaic Briseis recognized as the image of Elgar'Nan.

“There was a temple to Elgar'Nan in Halamshiral once,” she mused out loud. “And there is Elgar'Nan's Bastion in the Emerald Graves. But this? _This_ must have been his real Temple.”

“I knew it! This is more elfy shite, right?” Sera asked when they neared the steps to the Temple. “This is starting to seem like elfy shite.” She looked to Briseis, who would not lie to the archeress. “Is this gonna be like the Arbor Wilds with those weird-looking hooded guys?”

“This is an Elvhen temple, Sera,” the Inquisitor replied honestly. “But I honestly don't know if there will be sentinels here.”

“Possible if this place is anything like the Temple of Mythal,” Thom suggested. “We'd best be careful while we're inside.” He gestured towards the top of the steps. “If there even is a way inside. There doesn't seem to be a door at the entrance.”

“There's a way in, there has to be,” Briseis said aloud, staring around and making her way towards the temple steps. She was near to the top when she saw there were Veilfire braziers on each end of the wall. Before she could conjure the fires, she heard the flapping of loud wings in the distance. She quickly turned to see their mounts extremely agitated in the distance, though they were shielded within the entrance tower's interior. She then looked to the others as Cullen glanced up, seeing the large shadow approaching overhead and yelled for Sera and Thom to move into cover as he drew his sword.

Briseis looked up to see a Sandy Howler headed straight towards the temple courtyard, with her directly in its sights. Cullen looked to her desperately as she quickly Fadestepped down the stairs, taking cover behind a column just to the left of the steps next to Thom.

“She looks to be bigger than the ones we've fought before!” Thom observed, drawing his sword.

“Bull is gonna be extra pissed when he finds out he missed this fight!” Sera yelled from behind a column opposite them next to Cullen.

“He won't know about it if we're all dead, so stay focused!” Cullen hollered back. He watched as the Inquisitor peeked from behind her column to get a glimpse of the their foe beginning her approach to land in the center of the courtyard and quickly cast a barrier over Thom. She glanced to her right, seeing the Commander across from her and cast a barrier over him and Sera, who had already drawn her bow and aimed it at the Howler, leading her target and ready to loose her arrow once it landed. The dragon began lowering to the ground and Briseis quickly set a cluster of ice mines where the dragon was positioning herself to land.

Briseis had to admit to herself that she was a bit excited about this fight. It would be the first real test of her magic in combat since claiming the Eye of Mythal. She tightened her grip on her staff, ready to attack as she felt the ground shake from the dragon's landing. Another glance around the column and she could see that Thom was correct: this dragon was much bigger than the others they'd fought. She made a mental note to get a message to Frederic at the University of Orlais with as much detail as she could remember about this dragon once they returned to camp.

She had stepped to advance forward when they heard the shattering of Briseis's ice mines and the Howler's roar. The ground shook again as she jumped backwards and then the others sprang forward to attack.

Sera fired her arrow almost immediately after she ducked from behind the column she'd been hiding behind. Briseis moved backwards and to her left away from the column, placing the Howler's front right leg in her view. The dragon's front claw was bleeding after having been shattered from stepping onto one of the ice mines. Thom was charging forward to slash at the dragon's injured leg when Briseis saw the leg twitch as though the Howler was planning to swat at Thom. She cast Winter's Chill, which was now powerful enough to completely freeze the remaining front leg in place.

“Thanks, Inquisitor!” Thom yelled as he drove his sword into the Howler's leg. She roared loudly, beating her wings ferociously as dust and sand began swirling around them. Briseis shut her eyes quickly before she felt Thom grabbing her arm, pulling her out of harm's way just before she felt the heat from a blast of fire that landed where she had just been standing. Another moment later and she felt the ground shake again as the Howler moved to take a defensive position.

“Careful, my lady,” Thom yelled as she tried to clear the debris from her eyes. He nodded to her when she was able to see again and they re-entered the fray. Briseis resumed her assault and saw that her storm magic was much more powerful than she expected. A well-aimed blast of lightning at the Howler's right hind leg had been enough to cause the leg to buckle. She cast another barrier over Thom as he rushed forward to break the dragon's defense and then Fadestepped to the other side to assist Sera and Cullen.

The Commander's sword was thrust into the dragon's front left leg just as Briseis appeared at his side. There were multiple arrows in the same leg and one flew high over her, striking near the Howler's eye, only missing because the dragon shifted over as she swatted at Briseis and Cullen, knocking Briseis backwards into the dirt as Cullen slammed into a nearby column.

“Watch it, you two!” Sera yelled as she loosed another arrow at the Howler's eye. The dragon had turned her head away, but the arrow still managed to pierce the scales just behind her left horn. She shook her head as though disoriented and suddenly pivoted away from them, roaring in pain. A moment later and she had risen back into the air, flying off from the battle.

“Wait, what?!” Sera exclaimed. “Where's she going?”

Cullen walked over and extended a hand to help Briseis to her feet. She quickly dusted herself off while she stared around the courtyard. Unlike the other areas where they had encountered dragons, this place had been uninhabited, likely for centuries and there was no evidence of dragonlings in the area either, much less any type of nesting.

“This must not be her lair,” Briseis deduced. “She would have never just flown away from the battle like that if it were. But if this is her territory, her actual lair may not be that far away, so she could come back at any time.”

“Agreed,” said Cullen, “we should be cautious on the way back to the Wastes. Is everyone alright?”

“Aye,” Thom answered.

Sera gave a nod. “Yeah, I'm _really_ good.”

“Inquisitor?” Cullen asked.

She turned to him as she holstered her staff. “I'm good,” she replied, moving past them to go up the steps. “Now to find the way inside this place.”

Briseis reached the top of the steps and lit both Veilfire braziers with barely a flick of her wrist. As the flames burst to life, there was a low rumbling sound as the wall began to shift aside, revealing the entrance to the Temple of Elgar'Nan.

She glanced nervously to Cullen. “Are you ready?” she asked.

He turned to her and gave a short nod. “It's going to be fine,” he assured her as they stepped into the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ready for a dungeon run?


End file.
